Since law and order in the capital is handled directly by the Centre, it is obvious that the Manmohan Singh government is fully behind the decision of the Delhi Police to invoke Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure in Jantar Mantar. The ban on any protest or even gathering of four or more people in areas under the jurisdiction of the Parliament Street police division is aimed, first and foremost, at Anna Hazare and his supporters whose campaign for a genuinely empowered Lokpal is all set to go into high gear from August 16. According to a formal notice issued by the Delhi Police, Section 144 has been imposed because the “unrestricted holding of public meetings, processions, demonstrations etc. in the area are likely to cause obstruction to traffic, danger to human safety and disturbance of public tranquillity” and that unless urgent measures to prevent such gatherings is not taken, there is “danger to human life or safety and disturbance.” This reasoning is an insult to the intelligence of all citizens and also demonstrates the extent to which the professionalism of the police is being compromised by the political motives of the ruling party and coalition. The last time Mr. Hazare and his supporters occupied Jantar Mantar, which has long been recognised as a legitimate site for public protest, there was no violence or breach of the peace. Indeed, the peaceful nature of that protest was what made it so potent, and unpalatable for the government. That is why the Congress has decided that civil society groups must not be allowed to stage a repeat.
By seeking to deny citizens the right to stage even peaceful, non-violent protests, the Manmohan Singh regime is betraying not just intolerance but also a lack of confidence in the face of growing public anger against political corruption and the cover-up of allegations of corruption. Although the government's own draft of the Lokpal Bill has not yet been made public, the fact that it differs from the proposals of Mr. Hazare and his team on several key issues is well known. If the government is confident about the robustness of its own proposals, it should not worry about the campaign that its critics are waging. Citizens at large have the ability to judge what is valid and what is not, provided an informed debate is held. Indians may be argumentative but they are not unreasonable. Instead of responding democratically to the civil society draft with logic and argument, the government is using its executive powers to stifle dissent. Though Mr. Hazare is free to stage his fast somewhere else, it is time the courts stepped in to put an end to this blatant misuse of Section 144.
Keywords: law and order situation, Jantar Mantar, Lokpal Bill, anti-corruption campaign, Anna Hazare fast
The editorial fully exposes the naked designs of the Central Govt and congress party in imposing section 144 in Jantar manter. The reasons given by the police dept.(so obviously contrived and unbelievable) are indeed an insult to the intelligence of the common man.
A link to this Editorial deserves to go on everyone's web, blog and on all our facebook pages. We do want to ensure no harm comes to Anna and that Jan Lokpal is implemented to stop corruption, looting, the daily hardship borne by ordinary Indians when dealing with the municipality / government and the feeling of disgust Indians feel towards their representatives.
Congress has shown itself to be completely immature with all its senior and junior leaders putting their feet in their mouths. While we know that most political parties in India are corrupt, this is going to bite Congress for a long time.
My question is "How can a peaceful protest be unsafe for public life?" No protester will have even a stick with him or her. Then how can they cause damage to public property or life? Of course, if politician send some rebelians to merge into like you see in hindi films then it may create a riot. However, government should send the police to avoid such disturbances to protect the protesters and public life. Delhi streets are anyway empty as many people are now using subway. Moreover, Delhi has enough big streets to allow a bunch of protesters to pass by. Maybe they should learn something from other developed countries how they provide entire streets for protesters so as to allow peace. Dear Government, We are watching all your acts. Please take any step forward very carefully.
Sarfaroshi ki tamanna ab humare dil mein hai.Dekhna hai jor kitna bajue katil mein hai.Vande matram.
Law is not my cup of tea, but this response of the democratically elected representatives and government was very much expected. I think legal experts who support Annaji's Team and IAC movement must have moved to supreme court promptly and strongly urging SC to squash the orders of ban by Delhi Police and government. If not done may kindly do it for the sake of our MOTHER INDIA.
Manmohan Singh is practically inviting the Supreme Court to step in. So invoking Sec 144 may not be entirely unfavourable to us. The only reason he does not want to adopt Hazare's version of the Lokpal Bill is because he may become the first victim.
Good and Timely editorial. Congress which pioneered freedom struggle has done more damage to the country than any other party.We have now a puppet PM controlled by a remote force who have no accountability to the Parliament and they have created a superbody who directs PM even on day to day affairs.They feel they are the only party who are working for the welfare of India.They have a set of spoke persons especially from Legal community who are willing to interpert even constitution to suit their interpertation of Democratic principles.They have their definition of 'secular' and Minorities and fundamental rights.They will not hesitate to introduce Emergency once more to save their right to rule.They play the game of divide and rule by declaring BJP as untouchable and all minor opposition parties made to feel the same way.So long this situation continues at Central arena Congress will play their game well. A sorry and deplorable state. A time has come for people to realise and vote.
From among the comments published so far,only one instance of disagreement with the editorial.This is unusual(hoping that this news news paper sieves out both types of comments,those favouring its stance and those opposing it,at an equal rate) and shows how the strength of popular resentment. It is another debate why team Anna chose Jantar Mantar as their centre of activity from August 16. The question here is why the government felt the need to impose this ban on the usage of the Jantar Mantar for conducting public meetings now?It is a retrograde stance on the part of the government and does not augur well for the democracy. The article is balanced and The Hindu stood up to its reputation.
I am fully with the sentiments expressed in your editorial. Yes, the end is near for the Congress party . . . and hopefully for a better party at the helm of affairs with accountability and responsibility in a single hand . . . sooner the better!
This is definitely the act which is to be protested by every citizen of the country and the government seems to be completely annihilating the democratic environment of the country through such nefarious acts.
I believe the very permission to hold 'mass protest' at a place of historic significance like Jantar Mantar was an incorrect decision of the Government of India, which must have been take well before any protest. It is a monument to be protected. Rather, the Ram Lila Maidaan, where Ramdev managed to hold such a massive protest 'in peace' could act as an alternative , provided the Delhi Police is not planning another crackdown on 16th night.
It is established beyond doubt that we are being ruled by mafia. What is most intriguing is that a person widely perceived as honest, is supporting and justifying the daylight loot and misgovernance. Where does the country go now? Will the creation of new monitors and laws help in this situation? We are witnessing a failed democracy, with hollow justifications and claims. The much-acclaimed development in last 20 years, was something that should have happened 30 years back. What we need is to draft a new constituion with provision to have directly-elected PM, only 2 parties with government-monitored accounts, independent CBI with power to investigate even PM's work and decisions, and reservation-free appointments at least in educational institutions, defence and judiciary. Otherwise, we better learn to enjoy the country's grand fall.
Long live the free press !!!
A very astute editorial,I too agree with the issue.The GOI or Delhi Police donot have any problem with any ridiculous movement like SLUTWALK(yesterday)and many more realated movement which generally held at well recognized site 'JANTAR MANTAR',If at that time there is no any disturbance as what Delhi Police projected at there Notification,then How a Peacefull nature Protest Is Danger for Human Security?
It's obvious that government is stifling the dissent raised by the people for effective lokpal bill.But what makes me apprehend that the government is using its executive powers to strangulate the protests raised by civil society.Showing democratic rules and doing undemocratic plots is quite unfair.What ever the place is,whether it is jantar mantar or not, our protest for effective lokpal goes on.No matters what obstacles we face.
Kudos The Hindu .Atleast this newspaper had the courage to stand up and call the Govts action 'Undemocratic'. Every newspaper and media outlet in the country that cares for the Indian democracy or considers itself the fourth pillar of democracy should do the same . Then lets see what the Govt reaction will be . The Supreme Court must intervene and prevent the Govt from stifling the peoples movement . If the right to peaceful protest and demonstarion is being denied , then how far away are we from a Hama - Syria being enacted -crushing of anti-government protests through force - by this Govt?
Invoking Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure eventually means that the UPA is trying to strangle our freedom of expression.A political party slowly assuming dictatorial powers.
UPA may give several untrue statements to the Supreme Court as happened in Baba Ramdev midnight drama(there was threat for Baba Ramdev's life).Let us wait for the decision of Supreme Court.
I think (i am sure) these are the last days of UPA in center and they are trying to do everything to save themselves from all kind of corrouptions.They having people Like Name of RAJA who are million miles away from there actual meaning of the name and just causing paucity in inida. If you (UPA) cannot do well for peoples,than you have no right to ruling on the peoples because these are those peoples(we) by which you are in center and now they are proving us that we have elected once again A corrupt and Wrong party for us.
How the people believe the Goverment is committed to check the corruption. Only with Supreme court intervention, CBI is doing what it has to do. Now the goverment wants to stifle the protest for tougher lokpal bill by not allowing Anna hazare to sit at Jantarmantar. The goverment decision shows it fears Anna hazare may get huge support and finally it has to agree to the demands. But this tyrant decision reinforces the belief that the goverment has no will but creates the impression that it checks corruption by giving mere statements. Amid scams one after another, the goverment could have used the opportunity to bring out effective lokpal bill and won the public support. Sadly it is doing the opposite. Thanks to The Hindu for supporting Anna Hazare and the public cause.
The peaceful nature of the protest Team Anna staged last time at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi is not only unpalatable to the Congress but is capable of sending creeps in the Party and the leaders including Mr. Manmohan Singh. That the UPA government is undemocratic and biased towards plutocracy is evident from its proclivity towards the rich and the greedy corporates, who bleed the nation's resources including land to augment their wealth. The stony silence of and the periodic revelations by Dr. Manmohan Singh lay bare the ill intentions of his government. Manmohan Singh's stature grows not as a people friendly and India loving Prime Minister but as a dominant patron of the rich in the country and in the alien climes. His American penchant has already been manifest in his collusion with the Bush government to pave the way for the nuclear deal. Hope the court may heed to your exhortation and step in to preclude the misuse of Section 144, when Hazare stages his fast
We are all with Anna, I will be proudly saying after a few years I was in age of Anna Hazare AND I participated in India's struggle to free it from corruption.
Hats off to THE HINDU which is taking daring steps against unsparing UPA govt.
It seems like Congress government is on the verge of implementing another emergency. The misuse of law and politicizing the local police is condemnable. In democracy there may be difference in opinions but you can't take anyone's right to express his opinion in a peaceful way.
A perfect and timely editorial, a slap in the face for the unruly party at the Centre. The Delhi police should be ashamed of abetting the politicians in power against the will of the common people. The tenets of Democracy are being destroyed by the Congress Party and the Lokpal movement must gain in strength and the peoples voice must be heard. Congratulations to The Hindu
Come on, don't play down the dangers of another spectacle at the Jantar Mantar. Why can't Anna Hazare fast unto death at some other venue? Because then he will not be able to hog limelight and 24X7 media coverage. It's sickening to see newspapers like 'The Hindu' that I once respected, so blatantly playing to the gallery, just because so called middle class public sentiment is inflamed by corruption. The same hypocritical middle class first needs to look inwards. At such moments what is required is a responsible media not a hysterical one which tries to be as populist as the politicians it flays.
What purpose is another fast going to serve? It is just an egoistical exercise parading under the name of revolution. If any real progress is to be made in the fight against corruption, lazy tactics like 'fasts' have to stop. People must realise that corruption will minimise only when they fight it at the individual level - everytime they are asked to pay bribe. And that's hard work.
Just for the information - a Congress Minister of Law referenced Singapore as a model for their Party to Karan Thapar on Devil's Advocate. We may be entering a phase where they might be aspiring for a one-party system which is intolerant to ideological opponents.
This kind of behavior was anyways expected, people get defensive when they are cornered from all sides. The bigger concern however is the clear difference in the opinion of the PM and the party in the matter of the inclusion into the ambit of Lokpal Bill, and clearly the party's decision stands. This shows where the power lies without being answerable to actions.
Seems like it high time for the people of India to approach to President and request for removal of the government who is behaving undemocraticly. GOI should not try to suppress the voice of people. Instead find an intelligent and creative way of hnadling crisis. To bring in an empowered Lokpal is in favor of the country and the people. Look at the country's position in CPI (corruption Perception Index), it itself speaks a lot.
Hardly any surprise , the citizens being denied right to peaceful protest follows drafting of a bill by the Govt that does not consider the voice of the people . Even the PM has no say it seems , as many recent episodes reveal . Can we say the country today is in the hands of the mafia , or the mafia rules the Govt ? Its a Govt , working not for the people , but for the Corporates , the powerful and the well-connected and we, the citizens let it happen . Most in the media cannot and will not keep a check on the establishment today ,from fear or because the media also has become the establishment and we let it happen . India -its not a democracy any longer , its an Oligarchy; we the citizens let it happen .
We educated intelligentia in India deserve what we get for having put through default of not voting ,wrong people in-charge of our country . Its a lesson for all of us, specialy the Indian middle class who do not vote in elections . Today in India we hang petty thieves and appoint great ones to high offices,...... through default !! How many sitting parliamentarians today will get past a strong Lokpal- as sugested by the civil society, without geting implicated in some scandal or the other . So what better form of Lokpal bill or legislation do you expect from this same Govt ?
Its now becoming more evident , there is a price that we all are paying & will pay more for not voting & not being politically active or aware . If democracy is to work, EVERY citizen must not only participate and exercise their rights, they must also observe certain principles and rules of democratic conduct. And Change cannot be a spctator sport . Every Citizen must become more politically active and, most important, fulfil the basic responsibilities and duties of a citizen to let democracy survive .Otherwise democracy will become a Oligarchy , the republic , a banana-republic as it is in India today and even basic fundamental rights will get denied some day thats is not far away.
Sir you have done a very good analysis of the prevailing autocracies of the government. The government is curbing the fundamental right of peaceful gathering under the name of laws.By this action of government the fear of Anna hazare's protest is clearly visibe.Can government intolerance towards protest(Baba Ramdev and his followers were beaten up in the mid night)be regarded as 'democratic terror'?
The government,by invoking Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure in Jantar Mantar has given one more example to disbelieve in the Famous words of Abraham Lincoln "Democracy is for the people, by the people and to the people". The government has expressed his displeasure to such movements in which people are fighting against the corruption since they may create public disharmony and traffic congestion. The question arise where is the same government and where is the same Section 144 when political parties stage rallies and stage protests on streets which causes a lot of problems to the common people.The members of such political parties sometimes destroy the public properties and even practice violence against the common people though they say they are protesting for the benefit of the COMMON PEOPLE.The movement started by civil society members do not include any political party but is the movement of the common people.The question stills remain unanswered and i am still mooting.
During British rule, these type of bans were common and expected from an alien ruler too. In 1870, British Gov imposed section 124A of IPC to restrict the freedom of press and expression. That time Extremist Lokmanya Tilak fought against it and had to go to jail; even moderates of congress protested this restriction. Ironically, at present time, this congress by itself, is imposing section 124A kind of section 144 of IPC. In fact, Indian Gov. is banning the fundamental rights of freedom of expression and peaceful protest. This is utter mockery of constitution and contempt of our leaders like Tilak and Surendernath Banarjee. The present action of gov is not compatible with the preamble of India constitution i.e. India is democratic country.
The typical making of a tyranny in progress. A tyranny molded, planned and executed - usually and essentially by subordinates of weak non-assertive leaders. History repeats itself.
What an Editorial and hats off to you. Now Courts MUST ensure that Government is asked to reverse this undemocratic action. This shows this UPA Government is not able bear the Criticism of the people of India.
Thank you for being the voice of millions of Indians
Your editorial is well balanced one.It reminds the Government to respect the peoples right for peaceful demonstration of their discontent on Governence. Similar fasts were undertaken by Shri Morarji Desai and Shri Jayaprakash Narayanan Against Indira Gandhi government. Never Indira Gandhi Government preemptly ban the fast. The fasts were allowed by the then Congress government. The same example should be emulated by present Congress led UPA Government.
Absolutely right sir.This govt has made fundamental rights a joke.Team Anna have every right to hold a peaceful demonstration any where in the country.Govt view that it will create law and order problem will have few takers.Overt/covert/ hyopcrisy this govt has taken every way to defend their indefencible. Integrity,dignity,moral these words have been kept under lock and key by this govt.This is the time court must intervene.
Your editorial rightly highlights the authoritarian streak being exhibited by UPA govt. When you say that that is an 'insult to the intelligence of all citizens' you reflect the apprehensions of millions of our countrymen. Your further statement that the "professionalism of the Delhi Police is being compromised by the political motives of the ruling party" lends hope and sustenance to the people even amidst the terrible travails they are undergoing in their day to day life that our media is alive and kicking to expose the wayward functioning of the law and order machinery in that they are becoming increasingly a handmaid of the ruling coalition. This was evident when two months ago Delhi Police swooped at midnight on the sleeping satyagrahis at Ramlila Maidan, tear-gassed and dispersed them. This authoritarian action of the Delhi Police obviously at the behest of the political authorities has already blackened the Delhi Police force and is now further being worsened by its needless confession that it was their own decision and not at the behest of the ministers (obviously to save the skin of some ministers) This madness reminds us as a smaller version of Michael O'Dwyer of jalianwala Bagh; it may also come up to the record of known tyrants of history like Stalin, Mao and Hitler. Jantar Mantar, New Delhi has been throughout history of modern India a place where citizens can give vent peacefully to their feelings and frustrations is now sought to be denied to the people. UPA is denying them even this right. Kudos once again to the Hindu for its timely plain speaking.
It is as clear as the day light that the Delhi police has promulgated the 144 of the CCP only to stop civil society activist Anna Hazare from undertaking the fast at the Jantar Mantar against the Lokpal bill approved by the UPA Government. This step is politically motivated and undemocratic. Last time Anna Hazare's fast was peaceful and no untoward incident took place there. By the way how will the Congress react if rival political parties in power in some states put a ban on the rallies, demonstrations and processions by the Congress? What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.
very well said... all indians are closelly following anna's movement...
Government must stop using the police force for politicking. The rules and regulations that are made, must be in the welfare of the people as India 'claims' it to be a welfare state. But this kind of statement appears futile when someone stands against those decisions of government which are basically made to 'save-the-government-in-the-name-of-people'.Same is the case with Team anna and their lokpal bill proposal. It is unequivocally visible that section 144 is used only when it is in interest of govt. When UPA applies it to stop anti-corruption rallies, it is justified but when on the other hand Mayawati govt. applied it against congress rally, they were spreading hue and cry.
Yes! We agree heartily with your observation "it is time the courts stepped in to put an end to this blatant misuse of Section 144." It is clear that Man Mohan Singh's Government has lost its nerve against the overwhelming revoltion and public anger against the endemic corruption and the rulers extraordinary reluctance to tackle the menace meaningfully. The same mentally which was responsible for the declaration of emergency is on full display making mockery of the free democracy!
Stuck in the quagmire of mega scams and reeling under persistent attack by enraged public opinion, the Manmohan Singh government seems to have lost its mental balance, a condition under which a rational approach to problem solving is impossible. What is governance if it is not rational problem solving? This government, unless it quickly regains its poise, may strike a path detrimental not only to its interests but also to those of the people of this country.
You have rightly put the buck at the door of PM. What about Sonia Gandhi? Without her instructions, the GOI would not have invoked section 144. For several years now,MMS has shouldered all responsibilities with no power while Sonia has all the powers but no responsibility. Nauseatingly, most in the media shirk from focusing on this skewed power structure and never hold Sonia to task.
This Congress will prove itselft worse than the British Empire
Probably this is taking back to the Imperialistic Era of the Raj, just the roles reversed. Everyone has the right to protest and differ in democracy. By imposing Section 144, the Congress and the government is digging its own grave.
A very astute, much-necessary, editorial!
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